The collapsible tube is a common structure for dispensing relatively viscous materials, such as caulk, ointments, certain pharmaceutical preparations, salves, and toothpaste, to name a few. The typical collapsible tube includes a flexible tubular body with a first end that is closed and a second end that is connected to a dispensing head. The dispensing head commonly includes a nozzle that defines an opening through which the material contained within the tube is dispensed. Typically, the dispensing head includes a cap that allows the opening to be sealed and unsealed as needed. The flexible tubular body is made of a ductile metal, plastic, or laminate. In operation, the opening is unsealed and the user squeezes the body to force some of the material contained within the tube out of the opening.
A problem with collapsible tubes is that in many instances a significant amount of material contained within the tube cannot be extracted. This particularly is the case when the only tool available to squeeze the body is the user's hand. This un-extracted material typically adheres to the interior side of the body and/or is located in the dispensing head. In some instances, the tube is cut open to extract the remaining material.
To address this problem, various tube squeezers have been developed. These tube squeezers fall into two types. The first type of tube squeezer is mounted on a surface and has a structure that pinches the tubular body between two surfaces (e.g., a pair of rollers) that span the width of the tubular body. The squeezer operates to either move the tube relative to the two surfaces or move the two surfaces relative to the tube. In either case, the movement squeezes the tube such that material within the tube is ejected from the nozzle. By squeezing from the closed end of the tube towards the dispensing head, the ejection of most all of the material in the tube is achieved. The second type of tube squeezer is hand-held and includes a structure that pinches the tubular body between two surfaces (e.g., a pair of rollers) that span the width of the tube. The squeezer operates such that the tube is moved relative to the two surfaces that provide the force to eject the material out of the nozzle. With respect to the second type of tube squeezers, there are at least two sub-types of squeezers. In the first sub-type, a handle structure allows the user to both grip the tube squeezer and cause the tube to move relative to the two surfaces using only one hand. The second sub-type of tube squeezer is designed to be operated using two hands, one hand grasps a handle and the other hand operates a lever, knob, or other actuator that causes the tube to move relative to the two surfaces that provide the force to eject the material through the nozzle of the tube.